* Time To Appreciate Civil Rights

January 06, 1991|The Morning Call

To the Editor:

The recent article regarding the institution of a holiday program honoring Martin Luther King Jr. greatly distresses me. As I read that article, I was shocked by the apathy and even animosity shown towards the topic of civil rights. Apparently we take our civil rights for granted, which is an obscenity in this world where so few have basic civil rights. People in countries such as South Africa, Chile, Haiti, Ethiopia and, most obviously, Kuwait are suffering adversities that are unimaginable to Americans. People in these countries are detained without trial or charges, and killed for no other reason than their race, sex, or political and religious beliefs.

Most Americans are unaware of these particular facts, but through our conflict in the Persian Gulf, many Americans have been made aware of the brutal torture and murder taking place in Kuwait. Now is a time that we should all be immensely appreciative of the rights that we have as Americans.

Yet, if the Allentown poll concerning a King celebration is representative of an average American city, the average American is adamantly opposed to taking even a single day to appreciate and learn about what great civil rights and liberties we truly have. Although the focus of the recent poll was on Martin Luther King, the results showed a negative attitude towards civil rights in general. According to Dan Bartley of the Allentown Human Relations Committee, those polled "didn't want anything to do with it." I wonder if those polled still would not care about civil rights if their's were taken away. I believe that it is time to start appreciating our civil rights, and supporting those who have fought for them and are still fighting for them now. KIERSTEN JOHNSON MACUNGIE